


Who Says We Can't Negotiate?

by CardboarianNights



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blind! Soldier 76, F/M, I just want them to be happy okay?, M/M, Multi, OT3, Polyamory, Reyes still being problematic and edgy, Will update tags as more content gets added, dropped the rating down to M since the main focus isn't sexual encounters, he tries though, old people being cute together, smut warning for future chapters, tentacle porn for one chapter it's consentual
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-05
Updated: 2016-10-12
Packaged: 2018-07-21 17:51:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7397473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CardboarianNights/pseuds/CardboarianNights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An accident during the 'Recall' short ties Reaper and Mercy together in a way they never expected to work.</p><p>A year later, after running in with Soldier 76 in Dorado, the trio travel together in order to help people. Well... Jack is just her bodyguard during the day while Gabriel is literally just a wraith being dragged along for the ride. Old feelings tend to resurface when you spend enough time living together.</p><p>All chapters with NSFW content will be marked!</p><p> </p><p>Note: ABANDONED, WILL NO LONGER BE UPDATED.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Date

All it took was one accident for Gabriel Reyes to literally reunite with Angela Ziegler when she saved him by applying Talon’s twisted version of her revival device to her own body, with modifications. He now traveled with her as a constant, though ungrateful, companion and after running into Jack Morrison in Dorado, the trio now moved together almost like old times.

‘Old times’. Almost ten years ago and it seemed that even half a year of traveling was starting to help mend the relationship they once had before the Overwatch HQ was burned to the ground. But even then, Angela noticed how Jack, now ‘Soldier 76’, was more patient when the wraith, that was once his best friend, contributed suggestions when shit went south in the war zones where she set up clinics. 

It was still difficult to deny that even a decade later, she still had lingering feelings for the two men who she once supported but was now being supported by them. Especially since Reyes was slowly coming around to having his soul linked to hers, essentially. Morrison was a crab from time to time but old age seemed to make him more attractive and his blindness made her want to care for him more.

In their little townhouse in Numbani, Angela was showering as she started down at the drain while the water was running over her. She rarely ever had time to think about her own personal situation when she wasn’t isolated from both her patients and the two men that were likely in the common area or their own rooms, at least in 76’s case. Her and Reyes ‘shared’ a room but as a wraith he had no real need for his own space or even luggage since he could shift his form to whatever he wished. He mostly stayed in the common room or drifted outside in the night when the public was least likely to see him when he didn't stuff himself into Angela’s body.

“Urgh… Get a hold of yourself, Ziegler! You’re old and clearly passed age where hormones get the better of you…!” Angela pressed her forehead to the wall as she let out an exhausted sigh. It didn't help her mind drifted to more seedy daydreams over the past year with her two dear companions in tow. She loved them both dearly and had for a long time but it wouldn't be fair to pursue Morrison just because Reyes had no human body anymore…

A knock on the door jolted Angela out of her daze and she quickly grabbed the soap to finish up. “Yes?!” She answered loudly over the running water.

“The water meter bot is acting up, Doc, might want to finish up.” 76 replied curtly. “That’s all.”

“O-Oh! I’m almost done!” She announced, regardless of the fact the Morrison likely left anyways and she grabbed the shower head to wash off herself before shutting off the faucet. Angela sighed in embarrassment as she stepped out of the shower and started drying herself off with her towel. The mirror was fogged up and it was obvious that she had been in the shower for a while now, much to her dismay.

She toweled off her body and slipped on her shorts with a tank top before a familiar hiss signaled the arrival of a certain wraith through the wall. A dried towel presented itself and Angela couldn't help but smile as she gingerly accepted it. “Thank you, Gabriel.” Angela wrapped her hair up in the towel as the ghost unveiled itself, sitting casually on the covered toilet seat with an annoyed look on his face.

“I was almost starting to think you drowned yourself, Doc. You’re lucky that the blind dog went over to check up on you rather than me.” He huffed, more interested in the wall than her, curiously enough.

“Odd. Doesn’t Jack usually sleep around this time since his vigilantes activities keep him up at night?” She teased experimentally with him, watching his eyes widen for a moment before quickly returning to his usual scowl.

“The water reserve bot woke him up with all that noise it was making in the kitchen.” He simply stated before getting up and floating over to her, looking at her bruised shoulders with some concern. “They’re looking better today. You will still ice them, got it?”

“Of course, Gabe. What would I do without my personal caregiver?” She chuckled happily, before letting out a sigh as his cool hand rested on her aching shoulders. His hands weren't completely solid but clearly he could focus enough of his form to manipulate simple things like towels. She wanted to so badly lean back into his cool form, especially on a hot day like today. Part of her mind wondered if he could solidify something else before she realized he was staring at her from the reflection of them in the mirror. Her heart beat picked up the pace for a good few moments until it became clear that her nipples were also bleeding through her top. “Gabriel!?!?” She pulled away from him and reflexively covered her chest with her arms as his laughter filled the room before he faded back through the wall.

She grumbled before stepping outside of the bathroom and heading to the common room where Jack was napping on the couch while Reyes was nowhere to be seen. Angela walked past the couch to her room and opened the door to see said-wraith sitting on the bed and manipulating a tablet pen for his device. She closed the door and crossed her arms over her chest before narrowing her eyes at Reyes. “I need to change, Gabriel, please take your tablet to the common room.” Angela asked politely as she could considering the situation they were just in a moment ago.

“Morrison is there.” He simply stated, continuing scrolling through a news website out of boredom.

“He’s sleeping. Just sit at the kitchen counter and read there.” She countered, slowly growing annoyed with his stubborn nature when it came to being in the same room as Jack. “You don't need much space anyways.”

“I have a better idea. You, me, and the Numbani nightlife.” He suddenly brought up, fading from her sight as the tablet levitated itself over to her and showed her an ad for some night time events taking place in the city’s busy entertainment district. 

Angela took the tablet and quirked a brow at the wraith as he rematerialized in the image of his younger self from days long past. “So, I’m going by myself, basically?” She asked with a hint of sarcasm as she scrolled through the ads for various nightclubs and restaurants. 

“No. I have an idea for that, but only if you want to go, Mi Luz.” Reyes spoke in an oddly charming manner and even bringing out the Spanish to top it off. She had no idea what he said but it was still rather sweet sounding. 

“If you’re going to suggest possessing Morrison then I’m going to have to say ‘no’, Gabriel.” 

“The old dog will be chasing rats while we actually go have a nice night on the town.” The amount of visible restraint in his face to keep himself looking charming was almost admirable since she brought Jack into the picture. Maybe he actually did have a plan to go out and enjoy a night with her and maybe reclaim some enjoyment in life as opposed to being a sour puss like he had been for months. But still…

“Someone has to let Jack back in through the loading dock for the building when he gets back… Also, I need to get some shut eye for tomorrow and staying out late would be rather irresponsible. “ She admitted, to both herself and Reyes as she placed the tablet back on the bed. He watched her for a moment before shifting his appearance back to his ‘Reaper’ persona and turned off the tablet before fading to lift it. Angela watched the tablet place itself on the nightstand before the soft hiss indicated him leaving the room and her all alone.

After getting properly changed around with a bra and a loose T-shirt, she left her room to see Jack over in the kitchen and cooking a great smelling meal. “Mmm. What are you making?” She asked curiously as she pulled out one of the high chairs to sit at the kitchen counter.

“Omelettes with diced duck meat… At least that’s what I think the label said.” 

Angela’s face turned to one of pure horror as she tried to lean to see if she could see the packaging for meat anywhere on the counter next to the stove where he was cooking. “Jack Morrison, did you do your shopping in the grocery store rather than on the tablet like we told you before MANY times?”

“I’m pretty sure this is duck, Angela.” 

“Give me the packaging then, Jack.” She held out her hand expectantly but the grizzled soldier never turned around.

“I threw it out already. Just trust me for once.”

“Jack Morrison, you are legally blind and unable to tell how many fingers someone is holding up right in front of your face. Where. Is. The. Packaging?” Angela warned him with her most threatening voice until an unusual noise came from the front door followed by a familiar hiss. A flattened box floated over to Angela before resting in her outstretched hand firmly. 

“‘Tiger meat’ is the rough translation, Doc. Morrison just purchased meat for an endanger species.” Reyes spoke as he materialized in a chair next to her in his hooded form.

“JACK. MORRISON.” She crumbled the packaging in her fist as the soldier clicked the stove off and kept his back to the two of them. 

“Could you teach me how to use the net feature on my visor again…?” He asked sheepishly as he turned around to face the two disapproving adults sitting across from him. 

Angela sighed as she got up and walked back to her room to come back with her own tablet. “Do you remember what the shop was called so we can report it to the authorities?”

\---

After disposing the evidence of the illegal purchase and getting it wiped from Morrison’s credit history, Angela reported the shop to the African authorities before anything worse could happen. “This is why you only purchase from the places I bookmarked on your visor and tablet, Jack. They can’t gimp you on quality with these sites, regardless of how much you hesitate on that fact.”

“Even a dead guy like me can do it, Geezer.” Gabriel shot with a smug attitude as Angela was using her tablet to run a holographic simulation of Jack’s visor on her face so she could walk him through the process. 

“Stop using my credit chip to order flowers and such for the room, Gabe.” She remarked quickly, deflating the wraith’s ego in an instance.

“No son para el quarto...” He sighed before Angela turned to look at him for a moment.

“Pardon?”

“I said ‘it’s an unfortunate event that a dead man cannot maintain a credit line’, Angela.” He spoke smoothly as she nodded her head in understanding.

“Still. I’d rather you not order things if you do not have to do it on our behalf or at least ask me first since it is attached to my name, Gabriel.” She sighed, rubbing her temples as the masked man chuckled mischievously with that creepy vibe the outfit gave off. She honestly couldn't understand the man and would likely be better off for it. At least the purchases were never more expensive than the odd bottle of decent, local, wine.

Jack hummed softly, as he watched the pair before gently tapping Angela on the shoulder. “I don’t quite understand what ‘bookmarking’ is, Doc, could you explain it to me again?” 

“Honestly, Morrison, you and Reyes are the same age but you’re like a literal old man when it comes to doing more than bare minimum with your equipment outside of combat.” She grumbled as she switched the hologram back on before linking up her tablet to his visor again. He chuckled bashfully in response, not one to deny the facts when placed right out in front of him like in the old days. Back in those days, Gabe was the one who usually got him up to scratch before he took over for Blackwatch.

“Oh. The manual says you can set up the organize visor to have multiple loadouts. You can set a region sensitive clock right here and control how much space it takes up plus the location where you want. Here.” Angela grabbed Jack’s hand to cover it with her own as she brought it to the side of his visor to activate the settings feature. “So, we tap the sensor a few times in this direction…” 

“This customization is almost overwhelming for me, Doc…” He admitted quietly as she continued to try to help make his life a bit easier by making his visor more accessible to him. The soft hiss drew her out of her explanation as Reyes clearly went back into her room judging she saw the tail end of his coat before he vanished. Her heart fell a bit considering she turned him down earlier and was unable to entertain him while she was explaining things to Jack. But Morrison needed help as well and maybe even more so since he was still flesh and blood…

“Angela.” 

Her heart quickly flipped at Jack used her first name as he removed his visor and set it in his lap. His pale eyes looked at her with a sympathetic smile to boot as he placed a hand on her shoulder. “I want you to know how much I appreciate you letting me tag-along with you and you helping me out like this.” He admitted sincerely, making her heart race in her chest from how happy she was to hear him say that. “I was wondering if you would consider coming with me for dinner this evening? Reyes thinks I haven't noticed his ‘project’ but I think it’s worth the three of us leaving this place for at least an evening to relax.”

Wait. Is this a date or does Jack want to see Gabe’s grand scheme fall to pieces? Angela felt like a young maiden again but still conflicted with her duties to the people in the morning. “I don’t know, Jack…”

“Well, how bout we only stay out till nine and then come back so you can get your shut eye?” He offered.

“You assume Gabriel will be fine with that arrangement, Jack. He’ll most likely call us children or… old people.” She shuddered sarcastically, earning a warm chuckle from the merc.

“Well… If you’re really fine with letting me go out to a restaurant by mysel-”

“Fine. We’ll go.” She groaned, unable to let Jack wander the streets at night without his visor on considering he would not wear glasses. Last thing she needed was for him to get scammed again.

“Glad to hear it, Angela. Hey! I know you’re on the balcony! She said ‘yes’.” Jack called out over his shoulder. Reaper passed through the wall and set himself down on the ground as he crossed his arms over his chest. A small, knowing smile from Jack as he turned to sit back down on the couch to fiddle with his visor settings again, using Angela’s tablet to reference the manual once and awhile. “You two talk over the location and time. So long as a suit isn’t required, I’m up for anything.”

Angela looked at Gabriel bashfully before turning her gaze to her room. “You want to look through the menus together, Reyes?” She internally cringed at her awkward sentence but the cloaked man merely nodded before fading through the wall to her room. Angela sighed softly before glancing back at Jack. “You sure you both can do this without causing problems?”

“Believe me. Living together in such contained quarters, when he’s capable of strangling me with a phone cord even as a ghost, has me seeing him in a new light, Angela.” He spoke simply, scrolling through the tablet manual before tapping some sensors on the side of his visor. “I’m confident he won’t start trouble if he’s gone through all this effort already.”

She felt her lips curl upwards after hearing such kind remarks towards Gabriel from him. Maybe hell has truly frozen over if they’re willing to cooperate for a night out on the town. It felt just like old times again with the three of them before Overwatch became the giant that fell. “Alright. I’ll see if I can convince Reyes to pick a more mild resturaunt than that one time where you ended up in the bathroom for the whole night after eating some spicy dish.” She chuckled mischievously, earning an embarrassed groan from the silver-haired mercenary.

“Just… Pick some place that makes you happy, Angela. I can stomach anything now.”

\---

Angela dressed up in some nice slacks and a dress shirt, taking some time to make her hair look nice before waiting with Jack behind the complex’s loading dock where Reyes asked them to meet. Jack was wearing jeans and a hawaiian shirt with sunglasses, making them look like a very odd pair, especially since jack brought his cane along for once. “You know I would not mind to offer you my arm while we walk, Jack.” She said thoughtfully, watching as the heavily scarred lower face of his lifted when he smirked at the idea.

“Thanks, Doc. But I got my walking stick right here for a reason.”

She chuckled as he tapped it on the ground for emphasis before an electronic hum caught both of their attention. A floating, caped omnic came floating towards them before halting and awkwardly offering it’s hand to Angela. “Oh…? Do I know you…?” The omnic retracted it’s hand before reaching into it’s cape to pull out a crude drawing of an owl’s face then holding it up in front of it’s own.

“Reyes…?” Angela asked carefully, watching as the omnic tucked the paper back into it’s coat pocket and nodded. “You can’t be serious?!”

“What?! What is he doing?!” Jack demanded, approaching the floating omnic closer as he removed his sunglasses and squinted to get a more clear look.

“He’s… Puppeteering an omnic shell, Jack!”

“What’s wrong with using an old decommissioned unit?!” Reyes finally shot back at the two, pointing a finger accusingly at them as the red led eye lit up as he talked through the unit.

“That’s the same as using a human corpse as a sock puppet here, Reyes, you know better than that!” Angela countered, drawing a sigh from the omnic shell.

“Alright. I’ll go put it back in the dumpster I found it in but can you go back to the house to get your tablet, Angela?” Reyes asked as he turned to float back towards the alleyway leading out of the dock.

“Why?”

“I always have a backup plan.” He spoke cryptically before turning around the corner, leaving Jack and Angela by themselves.

\---

At the restaurant, Angela set up her tablet on the open chair, switching it ‘on’ so that Reyes could appear as a rather well-dressed version of his older self minus the whole ‘reaper’ get up. She had to admit that using her tablet’s holograph feature to cover for Reyes’ wraith form materializing in a public place was one of the more clever ideas Gabriel had come up with.

“You should have just told us about this back up plan from the beginning, Reyes.” Jack chastised as he pulled out the chair to allow Angela to take a seat before sitting down himself. “What the hell were you even thinking by going ‘metal’?”

Reyes rolled his eyes and crossed one leg over the other as he ‘got comfortable’ in his chair. “Apparently, my follies are more important than our dear doctor’s birthday, hm?”

Angela felt her cheeks warm up both from embarrassment that this dinner date was for her birthday and the way he was putting his grudge aside for her at least for tonight. The omnic server walked over to their table and placed a hologram dock in the center of the table before tapping it to cause a holographic menu to appear before Jack and Angela.

“Many greetings on this most wonderful night.” He greeted them pleasantly, scanning all three of the party members before lingering on Morrison for a good moment. “Many apologies, Sir, my sensors have detected the possibility that you may have a vision impalement. We offer both dining and bar menus in braille and audio formats if you desire them.”

Jack hesitated for a moment at being accommodated for at a restaurant and chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. Reyes rolled his eyes at the man across from him before speaking up to the waiter.

“I’ll order for him. Turn the menu towards me.” 

The omnic seemed genuinely surprised at the hologram projection asking to see the menu and Angela quickly cut in. “Reyes, Sweetheart, you shouldn't play jokes like that on our dear waiter.” She gracefully spoke as the confused omnic turned towards her. “I’ll be ordering for the two of us but thank you so much for being so considerate.”

“It is no issue at all, Ma’am. I will be back with some glasses of water and take your orders then.” He bowed his head respectfully before turning to leave the trio alone.

“Reyes. I know you’re trying to help but please don’t blow your cover.” Angela sighed as she idly scrolled through the menu after switching the language to German. The menu was rather basic for the area in Africa but it had more unusual ethnic food to accommodate the cultural melting pot the city was becoming with omnic-rights activists from around the world settling there. 

“They have any steak options?” Jack asked curiously, earning a disgusted grunt from Reyes.

“You’re in another country and you play it safe by ordering steak?”

“Fine.” He huffed at the wraith before turning back to smile pleasantly at Angela. “I could go for a filet tonight, actually.”

Gabriel brought his palm to his forehead as Angela giggled at Jack’s attempt at being cheeky with Reyes. It really did feel like old times with the two of them taking jabs at each other but with no genuine hostility between them. These were the two men she loved for so long and was afraid that had been broken beyond repair by Overwatch’s destruction. Both were heavily scarred and burned but the charm of their smiles never seemed to lose their effect on her.

“You see something you like, ‘Sweetheart’?” Reyes teased as Angela realized she really was staring at him for a bit longer than was socially acceptable. Throwing her ‘sweetheart’ line back at her lit a fire in her cheeks as she quickly looked back at her menu. Gabriel Reyes was a man always about mission and completing it at any cost, with love never seemingly crossing his mind. When he wasn't on missions, he was always laughing and telling her a joke or two when they went out for lunch everyday with Morrison. She never let her feelings for either of them interfere in her work except that one time they got drunk together…

“What kind of drink do you want for your meal, Jack?” She asked Morrison in order to change the flow of the conversation.

“Just a local beer would be fine. Pick the cheapest and we’ll work our way up to see what is actually decent swill around these parts.” He replied, actually receiving an approving chuckle from Reyes which infected the whole table. Classic Jack, a bit awkward but always knew what to say to motivate the rank and file. Angie hated to admit that he broke her heart when he kindly refused her when she told him of her feelings way back before things went to shit at HQ. The fact that he volunteered to act as a bodyguard of sort after their run-in at Dorado last year made her happier than she would admit, especially when she already had Reyes back in her life as it was.

Some time later, after their meals were served and eaten, the trio headed outside to see the sun setting in the distance, bathing the city in a beautiful red glow. Angela found herself laughing more than she had in years and Morrison was more open to talking than he had been in a decade. Reyes walked alongside of them, with Angela’s tablet clipped to her belt to keep up the illusion of a hologram projection as cover, with a large smile on his face as they walk passed various shops on the main street.

“Ah. Now that is a nice suit, if I may say.” Angela commented as they paused in front of a store window that show an omnic mannequin showing off a handsomely tailored suit along with a human one posing beside him. “It's a shame no one I know wear such nice clothing.” She chuckled teasingly to her two friends.

“Warzones aren't exactly the best places to wear a suit, Doc.” Jack chuckled as he offered Angela his arm like a gentleman. 

“Not that you had a sense of fashion to begin with, Jack.” Reyes quipped as he offered his arm as well to Angela, causing the blonde to happily slip her arms between both of her friends. 

“Yes, cause ‘walking grim reaper’ is a crowd pleaser, Reyes.” Jack shot back as they continued down the sidewalk together. 

It was so strange to be holding Reyes’ cool arm and feeling the firmness of something actually there, bringing a smile to her face as she resisted the temptation to rest her head against his shoulder to see if it was solid as well. “Oh. There’s a shop you’ll like down here, Angela.” He smiled warmly. “We’re taking a right here, Morrison.”

“Roger.” 

Angela giggled as Reyes tugged them into the smaller alleyway lined with stalls catering to the average tourist to doorways leading into small smoke shops and the like. All the tacky neon signs and mixing smells didn't put a hamper at all on her mood as she took in the atmosphere, though she did have to keep an eye out for Jack so he didn't walk into anything/anyone in the dimly lit alley. She had an idea where Gabriel wanted to drag her to when she saw a bubble machine doing what it did best as they stopped together right outside the store.

“A gag shop, Reyes? Really?” She quirked a brow at him sarcastically before he released her arm.

“That’s rather tame, if you ask me.” Jack chuckled as he leaned in closer to Angela as to not block of traffic as much.

“It’s not just a gag shop, Mi Luz, but an experience worthy of a woman who appreciates the finer things in life.” He grinned mischievously as he let her walk in first and paused for a moment to let Morrison go as well before joining them inside. Reyes’s shit-eating grin grew as Angela shrieked in excitement at the sight before her. “That’s twenty credits I get to spend on your account, Morrison.” He said smugly as Angela quickly pulled out her wallet to pay for her and Morrison’s entry fee to let the trio into the facility. All sorts of human and elaborate cat furniture was scattered about tastefully along with tables and chairs for people to eat snacks at.

“I never knew she liked cats. She always seemed more like a dog person.” Jack commented as he and Gabriel watched Angela get down on her knees on the carpeted floor to offer a cat the back of her hand to sniff. After the orange tabby rubbed its cheek against her fingertips, Angela began to lightly stroke the lounging cat while cooing happily at it.

“I image cats would work better with a doctor’s busy schedule. More independent but still provides affection that many adore, my blind friend.” He chuckled, feeling his own heart swell as Angela scooped up the cat and sat down with it in her lap. “You should sit with her by the way, Morrison. You have several black cats looping around your ankles.”

“Can we actually talk about this plan of your, Reyes?” Jack suddenly spoke up seriously, turning to the wraith as he removed his glasses to make his concerns more obvious. Gabriel paused for a moment, glancing over at the blissfully happy Angela before looking back at Jack. 

“Lead the way.”

\---

Angela hadn't noticed her companions had left until she looked around, wanting to show Reyes the beautiful black cat that reminded her of him. Jack came back alone from where ever he was and the doctor was more then happy to show the blind soldier the affectionate old cat

“Describe him to me.” Jack asked Angela with a warm smile as he gently stroked the cat from the top of his head to the back of its neck. 

“His name is ‘Arcadia’, his card says that ‘he is a twelve-year old gentleman with the mask of an owl on his face and a lover of laps’.” Angela recited happily as she held the purring cat in her arms.

“He has a fine-tune engine in him judging by the way he sounds. What color are his eyes? Green?” Jack asked curiously, moving his hand down to scritch the cat’s cheek as it's purring level shot up to eleven from the act.

“Yeah. Lovely emeralds.” She cooed happily. “I didn't think you were a cat person, Jack.”

“Yeah. Well, just cause I never owned one doesn't mean I didn't envy those who did.” He smiled warmly, as if reflecting on an fond old memory. “Can we sit down for a moment? Legs aren't what they used to be and I think your ginger friend is demanding a lap to sit in anyways.”

“Jack. I’ve seen you outsprint professional runners before. Don’t lie about your legs being out of shape.” She tisked at him as they both sat down together and she watched as two cats, the ginger plus a fluffy calico, instantly took up residence on either side of his lap. 

“Easy there, Soldier.” Jack quickly pried a mischievous white cat off that was looking just to bother the two nappers in his lap and instead held it up by the scruff with his other hand supporting its rear. “Peace requires a firm hand sometimes, but not a paw.” The cat looked anything but pleased to be scolded by a stranger much less held up in such a humiliating manner regardless of the proper handling. 

Angela chuckled as he set the cat back down and watched it quickly scamper off, returning his hands to gently pet each other the cats gently as they laid in his lap. “So, where did Reyes go? I wanted to show him Arcadia.” 

He took a deep breath and glanced down at the happily purring pair in his lap before looking up at her. “Angie. Look. A decade ago I didn't know what I wanted when you asked me if I was interested in you.”

Her face flushed up at the embarrassing memories and she held Arcadia to her chest as she buried her face in his soft black fur. “It was just- I don't see what that has to do with where Reyes went, Jack.”

“It has everything to do with Reyes, especially now since the idiot can’t seem to actually use his mouth for what he wants to say to you.” He sighed uncomfortably before looking up at her. “You and Reyes. He’s always wanted to ask you if you loved him, Angela. I had to say ‘no’ that day even though I wanted to say ‘yes’ because it was hard enough that I got promoted when he didn't…” Jack admitted to her, making Angela’s heart clench hard in her chest at the truth of the situation.

“So, tonight he was…”

“Trying to get your attention more directly than just having flowers delivered to the room whenever you were having a hard day. Yes.” 

Angela buried her face in Arcadia’s fur as the cat continued to enjoy the attention she was giving him, regardless if it was messing up his fur. So he wasn't ordering them to make the place ‘less tacky’ as he originally meant? He was such an idiot. “So he just ran off after telling all of this to you? What the hell, Gabriel…?!” She cursed into the black cat’s fur before setting him down on her lap and feeling her resolve strengthened in that moment. “I love you, Jack Morrison. You frustrate me with your stubborn nature to play hero even when you deny it so much!”

His eyes widened in shock at her strong-handed confession. “I… you do? But…”

“I love Gabriel Reyes too even if he is an equally insufferable ass who did a lot of things wrong. I literally share a soul with him, Jack, even if I hate that link on our worst of days.” She confessed to him, tired of letting this circle of confusion pull them around by the nose. “I want you BOTH so please stop feeling so guilty! God, we are adults!”

“Angela…”

She glanced around the room, looking for any traces of a certain wraith before sighing in annoyance. “I always thought Reyes was too busy climbing the ladder to really have time for someone else and never said anything. I don't need to be swept off my feet and he knows that clearly by taking me here rather than something cheesy…”

Morrison stayed quiet, listening to Angela vent her frustrations with the both of them and herself with patience beyond his years. Tears rolled down her eyes as she told him exactly how much she disliked what Overwatch did to them and the rift it tore between them. How she thought both of them were dead for a decade until she ran into Reyes a year ago and Morrison a few months afterwards. Eventually they left the café after she gave Arcadia a kiss on the head and promised him she would visit tomorrow since her clinic wasn't too far away from the strip.

\---

Jack and Angela agreed to not discuss the situation further until Gabriel was there so there would be no misunderstandings between them. The townhome was empty when they got back and she poked her head into her room twice to make sure he wasn't hiding or something. 

“Want something to drink, Angie?” Jack asked as he took a bottle from the section he made for himself in the refrigerator before poking his head up to look at the blonde slump on the couch. “Your stuff is on the right side of the orange juice partition, right?”

“Get me the little bottle on the top shelf next to the box of raspberries with the bright orange tape on it. I want something a bit stronger to relax tonight.” She replied before picking up the remote to turn on the TV and flip it to a station showing some movies. 

“Alright.” He grabbed himself a beer and then her bottle before closing the door. Jack didn't need his visor to tell that Angela was emotionally exhausted after the evening’s confession at the cat cafe and Reyes going AWOL when she wanted him there the most. He handed her little bottle of liquid relaxation before taking a seat down next to her and popping the top off his beer. “What we watching tonight?”

“Looks like a documentary on lions.” She stated as she opened up her bottle and took a little sip from it. “Might want to put your visor on so we can watch it together?”

“Roger.” He said with a warm smile.

\---

The were asleep on the couch and snoring loudly as Reyes entered the common area through the balcony window. The clock read four in the morning and guilt still wracked him something silly as he looked down to see Angela sleeping with her head against the chair arm. He bailed on her like a coward after spill his guts to Morrison when the man confronted him on why he set up the whole date.

“Gabe…?” 

He tensed up as Angela rubbed her eyes and sat up on the couch, piling the guilt on his shoulders even more so since she had to get up in two hours to get ready to run the clinic. “Dios mios, Angela, go back to sleep.” Reyes floated down to gently traps her shoulders with his clawed hands and guide her back down to the arm rest. She gripped both of his hands with iron grip and narrowed her eyes at him.

“We need to talk, Reyes.” She stated before reaching over to shake Jack’s shoulder, rousing the old man from his sleep. “All of us.”

“Is he finally back…?” Jack asked as he removed his visor and set it down on the coffee table. 

“Gabriel, Jack and I… We talked out our feelings last night at the café but we don't want to move forward without you here.” Angela started, clenching her pants leggings as her hands trembled uncontrollably. “I love you, Gabriel Reyes. Know that you were alive made me the happiest I had ever been in ten years even though you were working for the wrong cause and did many regretful things. Winston would have put the nail in your coffin if I didn't mend your device to my body that day in secret.”

“An… Angel…” His cloak form obscured his face but his voice betrayed the joy he was feeling in that moment. 

“But you need to understand that I also love Jack Morrison and that I will not be manipulated to love you over him nor will I accept either of you feeling guilty that one got chosen over the other.” She spoke as tears rolled down her cheeks in the absolute dread she felt in this moment. “I want you both. Please allow me to be selfish this one time and always have you both by my side.”

Reyes stood there completely floored by Angela’s proposal and the fact that Jack was not objecting to such an arrangement to have her solely to himself. “Heh. Why does it matter, Angela? I’m dead, remember? No body to keep you warm in your bed at night nor can I do anything but simple manipulation of objects when I’m not in control of your body.”

“Reyes, you give yourself too little credit for developing that ghost trick of yours over the course of a few months. She was holding your arm when we were walking on the street together this evening. How does not having a body make you incapable of making her happy?” Jack commented, taking Reyes by complete surprise by the way he turned to look at the silver-haired veteran. “I think you being a ghost makes it that much easier for her to love you. For one, you are two are bound together, since you are still yourself because her beating heart keeps you alive. Second, everyone thinks you’re officially dead and that includes Talon; you don't owe any shit to anyone anymore. Anyone who finds out and thinks otherwise will answer to Angela and I.”

“It’s just the three of us, Gabriel. We only have each other now and… I just hope you can come to an agreement with us on this matter. You may be dead but we can still see and feel you.” She eased her grip on his hands and gently stroked her thumbs over the solids of his gloves, looking up at his masked face longingly. 

He paused for a good few moments before looking over at Jack’s exhausted face. “You’re fine with sharing, Morrison? I could kiss Angel right now an-”

“I would be happy since you finally got off your ass and stopped hesitating over what I would think? Reyes, we’re in our damn forties and you think I STILL want to war with you over everything? Overwatch was it. I’m done fighting with you. I want you to be happy for once and that will make ME happy. Understand?” Jack spelled out for his spectral friend firmly before getting up and cracking his lower back. “Now, as for me, I’m going to bed in my room with this settled. Good night.” He waved to them before walking to his room and shutting the door behind him, leaving the two of them alone.

Angela nipped her lower lip as she realized how awkward this must all be to Reyes especially when Jack strong-armed him verbally and her literally. “Uh. Gabriel. We can talk about this later if you’re not comfortable.” She offered, praying he wouldn't flat out reject the offer now that Morrison wasn't around or something.

“You should get some sleep, Angel. I don't have an answer to give you right now.” He replied, offering her his taloned hand as it solidified for her touch be able to touch. Angela hesitantly placed her hand in his, and stood up with his assistance before he vanished before her.


	2. Gabe fucks up + short story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My beta is awesome and adorable.

Things were normal when the sun rose; Jack was still sleeping in his room while Angela showered and got ready for work. Breakfast had to be a protein bar as she hustled out of the townhome and locked the door behind her before leaving. Now, with plenty of private time to spare, Gabriel materialized as his older self in casual wear as he looked around Angela’s room. 

The bed was unmade, her night clothes thrown about carelessly and even a bra hanging out of her lingerie drawer. Clicking his tongue in disappointment, he figured the bed was a good place to start before tossing her dirty clothes into the laundry bin and tucking the bra back into its proper drawer before closing it. With the room organized, he plopped his tablet down on the bed and started doing his usual sweeps of off-the-grid chat rooms that people like him used to contact employers.

Reyes had several proxies making it a mess to find him as he kept an ever watchful eye out on the numerous hits that were out for ‘Soldier 76’ and anyone looking for ‘Reaper’. Some asshole had taken his code name anyways but it was always worth checking to see if Talon was interested in recovering their ‘technology’, should rumors travel about a wraith following a certain doctor around or some shit.

Nothing credible popped up for today on his initial searches but hacking into Talon’s mainframe on a tablet was way too risky for him to be as thorough as he would like to be around this issue. Jack didn't care about whose hornet's nest he was kicking around either, much to his annoyance. Reyes had a lot more free time on his hands than he thought if he was covering Jack’s ass as well.

Gabriel grumbled and switched from net diving to checking his post on ‘Lover’s Anonymous’ that he made last night.

‘Does she want a threesome or not?’

R33per43 (16:30am): A woman I’ve adored for years has asked me if I would be willing to share her heart with me and a man I dislike being around. Am I getting played for a fool here?

Zoeybot45 (18:02am): That depends, does she seem like the person who would use you? How long have you known her? Does she know you dislike the guy in question? 

R33per43 (21:00am): Thank you for the response, Zoey. We have known each other for maybe twelve years and she has never done anything for me to question her intentions. The other guy in question I used to call a close friend until about ten years ago. He’s fine with the set up but I’m not so sure he won’t do something to hurt the both of us considering what he did years ago.

Gabe considered deleting the message after posting it, paranoid it might be read by the wrong person until Zoeybot’s fast response made him think otherwise.

Zoeybot45 (21:02am): That’s a long time to be holding a grudge against a friend but sometimes it's not worth holding on to toxic people in your life. As for your lady friend, you should consider talking this out with her in private and letting her know exactly how you feel about it and see if she will consider just being with you if poly won't work for the three of you. Trust will always be an issue.

Gabriel groaned as he pushed his forehead against the bed and turned to face the ceiling in thought. The stranger was trying to be helpful with the vague information he put out there but he still didn't feel like he was coming closer to an easy answer. Why did Jack Morrison have to be involved and why couldn't he have been an ass about it last night so he wouldn't even consider such an arrangement? Angela could easily be his and disregard any feelings for his enemy but no, she didn't.

Why should she reciprocate his feelings anyways? His goals opposed hers for over ten years and he killed lots of people including the innocents that got in the way. Redemption wasn't for the dead to have, that was what purgatory was for anyways. She should be married with a large house, her own clinic, a fully stocked kitchen and maybe a dog or two if she didn't want kids. He definitely could not give her anything like that now while Jack might have a chance if he stopped playing the anti-hero.

Jack Morrison was a fucking idiot and he was surprised that Angela gave him as much freedom as she did. They argued about Jack's blindness plenty of times when he first joined up with them especially when he realized it wasn't just a sick joke that asshole was playing for sympathy points. The again, he never used his disability as an excuse to get closer to her anyways. Why the fuck was he so casual about sharing a woman he ‘loved’ anyways?! Was he the perfect match for the both of them? 

Gabriel covered his eyes as he felt himself sink through the bed, unwilling to hold his form as he wanted to feel nothing, especially when thinking about his actual feelings.

\---

It was around 5pm when Gabriel's tablet started vibrating and playing the sound of an owl hooting that got him to dematerialize, unaware of how much time that had passed while he relaxed in the darkness. He turned his tablet on and lifted the pen when he saw his messenger pop up with a new text.

Angel37 (5:03pm): Are you around Gabriel?

R33per43 (5:03pm): I’m in your room like always. Why?

Angel37 (5:05pm): Do you want to meet up at the cat cafe you took us to yesterday before I head home? 

Reyes paused for a moment before slipping out of Angela’s room and into the common area. The door to Morrison’s room was wide open and the lack of movement around the town home gave the impression that the ex-soldier went out for one reason or another. He quickly floated back through the wall and picked up the tablet pen.

R33per43 (5:10pm): Morrison isn't here right now though.

Angel37 (5:12pm): Morrison and I played with the cats yesterday but I would enjoy having you here.

Angel37 (5:23pm): Gabriel?

R33per43 (5:24pm): Sorry. Got distracted for a moment. Are you sure about me coming? 

Angel37 (5:25pm): Yes. :) I’m going to use the particle generator to get you here.

He dropped his tablet pen at that text and scrambled to pick it back up to write back to her in a hurry.

R33per43 (5:26pm): And risk you having a heart palpitation from the stress on your body? I’ll be there in fifteen minutes, Mi Aire.

Angel37 (5:30pm): I’ll be waiting. :)

Reyes screenshot the conversation and tucked it away deep in a folder hierarchy before shutting off his tablet. He moved it back to the nightstand before reducing himself to a small cloud and going through the wall to head outside. 

\--

It was around six when the sound of the modified particle generator began to whirl lightly on her chest. Sitting up on the couch with Arcadia, Angela felt Reyes trickling into the device in a slower manner than usual and felt him slowly piecing himself back together in her mind. ‘So, you ended up using the generator and were fifteen minutes late to boot.’ She teased him internally as she stroked Arcadia's head idly. 

‘Went… too high to avoid… surveillance drones…’ The wraith struggled, still not all together by the time he could start to form cohesive sentences in her mind. Angela instantly felt bad for her little jab and just focused on the cat in her lap while her companion recovered inside of her. She was literally his body now and while it didn't take much energy for him to project himself as a wraith, he still had to use the generator from time to time to stay stable. Life as a bunch of loose particles was much more difficult and terrifying than any of them of them would like to admit. ‘Do you mind if I stay in here for a while, Mi Luz?’

‘Take all the time you need, Gabriel, you’re still present for our little date after all.’ She replied casually. The wraith chuckled at that note, making her smile at the sound of his laughter. It had Angela reflecting on the many moments that smile of his spread to her own in the past when they used to camp out on missions during the Omnic crisis.

‘Your heart feels light, Angela. Is that handsome cat in your lap reminding you of someone special?’ He teased, unaware of how close to the mark he actually was. 

‘Yes, actually.’ She answered, growing a bit nervous as the wraith went silent in her mind rather than going along with it like he usually did. ‘His face looks like your owl mask. The white-ish fur patterns, I mean. He’s not literally wearing a mask, that is.’ She immediately began to mentally kick herself when she finished that sentence. 

‘... It looks like an owl?’ He asked curiously, breaking the awkward silence between them as he chuckled at her observation. ‘An owl isn't exactly an animal that strikes terror into those that aren't it's prey.’

‘Doesn't that work perfectly then?’ She asked him sarcastically as she laid back down on the couch and watched as the cat crawled up to settle down on her chest. ‘Look at this forward little scamp, Gabe. He likes breasts as much as you do.’

‘Por que?!?!’ He spat suddenly, surprised to hear that comment from the mouth of the angel of humanity. Well, her mind at least.

‘I’ve heard you and your posse talking about us girls when we settled for camp at night during the Omnic crisis, Reyes. Don’t act like you didn't.’ She teased, feeling the wraith squirming inside of her and getting the idea she was right on the mark once again. 

‘You have me cornered, Mi Luz, I admit I DID indulge in… gossip back then but I am a changed man!’ He pleaded to her in an overly dramatic manner.

‘And what a spectacular one-eighty you went through. You certainly brought the house down that day.’ She replied sarcastically, scritching the black cat’s cheek as it leaned into her hand to demand pets. ‘Anyways, I couldn't quite catch what ‘rating’ you gave my ‘rack’, as the gentlemen in the group put it.’ Oh she was so milking this out for all its worth with how chaotic he was in her head.

‘I never commented even if I did make a remark or two agreeing or disagreeing with them. I was their commanding officer so I had to keep up morale and not look like a total tight-ass, Angela.’ He admitted with a sigh. 

‘It’s alright. The girls’ tents were exactly the same for better or worse.’ She chuckled reassuringly to the wraith, wishing she could pat him on the shoulder for the grief she was giving him. ‘I’ll admit that I was dragged into the conversation once or twice before to give my opinion on the men I worked with.’

‘No shit? I bet they were asking you about Morrison like the vultures they were.’ He commented with a huff, more so at the gossips than Jack. 

‘No… Did it look like I was always interested in Jack back then?’ She asked curiously. ‘Because I was always teased for… well… ‘looking for Reyes in the crowd’ as the others put it.’ Angela admitted sheepishly, not wanting Gabe alone to feel embarrassed about the past. The long pause after that almost made her regret bringing that up at all.

‘That’s nice, Angela, but you shouldn't lie just to make me feel better. Even I knew that you looked a bit too long at Morrison back then.’ He remarked coldly, unaware of how hard the remark hit Angela.

‘What are you saying, Reyes? I’m telling you the truth that I was always fond of you before Jack. I spent more time wrapping up your wounds and talking to you than I ever did with him back then!’ She answered, trying to reason out her feelings between the two men and get the wraith to understand her perspective. 

‘Oh? Like everyone didn't see you confess your feelings to Morrison the day he became Overwatch’s commander?!’ He raged, physically hurting her mind with how much overwhelming hatred he was spreading into her. ‘You never gave two shits about me until I was literally glued onto you, Angela Ziegler! Stockholm syndrome, much?!’

Tears rolled down her eyes from the pain she felt both physically and emotionally while he tore into her. ‘Why can't you see past Jack for one fucking minute and actually listen to me?! You were always gone and Jack was there for me so it just happened!!’ She yelled back, venting a decade’s worth of frustration at Reyes. ‘Your job was too important to you and I didn't want to get in your way! I didn't know you were jealous of Jack and you know that!!’

‘You’re an opportunistic whore! You’re no better than any of the other leeches that were in Overwatch!’

That was the last straw. “GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!” She screamed as she shot up on the couch, sending Arcadia and the other cats running as the rest of the patrons looked at her in shock. The particle generator wheezed as Angela forcefully pushed a half-complete Gabriel out through the machine, causing chaos in the little shop.

“She’s possessed!!” One human screamed.

“She’s going to explode!” Cried out an Omnic as they all stampeded out of the café.

Angela fell to her knees as she gasped desperately for breath, clawing at the machine as the world went dark around her.

\--

When Angela came to she was in her room with a small reddish-black vapor cloud hovering next to her head on the pillow. It was small enough that she curiously reached over with a weak arm to touch it. “Reyes..?”

“What’s left of him, anyways.” Jack spoke as he walked over to the side of the bed and sat to look at the monitor for the portable emergency kit she always kept around. Angela noticed the mask over her mouth and nose, feeling a bit silly for noticing Reyes before that. “I can't make heads or tails of Spanish but somehow he tracked me down and screamed at me until I followed him back to the café. They'ed already sent you off to the hospital at that point so we had to find which one they sent you, then I had to persuade them to not remove the ‘dilator’ from your chest.”

She frowned at the ordeal she'd pushed onto Jack and how lost he must have been the entire time, especially with Gabriel only speaking Spanish for god knows what reason. Though looking at his fragile state right beside her on the bed, she had a feeling it had to do with her forcing him out. Angela only had to do it once before when he forcibly took over her body that one time, but it never resulted in him being reduced to a floating ball.

“Can I ask what happened?” Jack asked calmly as he looked her over even if his eyes couldn't really help him for that task without his visor. “Was it a malfunction?”

She shook her head slowly before reaching over to scoop up the black-red orb and placing it above her chest on the covers. “I kicked him out when he got too unbearable and I think I did it with too much force or something…” Angela spoke somberly, feeling terrible for hurting Reyes even if he did go too far in their argument.

“You have every right to kick him out of your body, Angela, don't feel too bad about it.” Jack sat down on the bed next to her and gently covered the hand that was resting on the orb. “If anything, he’s just resting in his core form; a ball of malice and spite who can’t stand to be away from the lady of his dreams.”

“Shut up, Morrison.” Angela groaned at how cheesy Jack was being and had a coughing fit from how much her lungs burned.

“Sorry, Angie.” Jack apologized sheepishly, rubbing his arm nervously out of habit before Angela grabbed his hand and placed it back over her own. He smiled at that gesture and she felt a lot better about the situation since she had an understanding man like Jack at her side. If only the marble that was Gabriel Reyes would say something then she would know everything would be okay.

“So, he’s been a moping marble since I blacked out?” She asked with a hint of sarcasm, hoping to get a reaction out of the floating ball. Jack nodded his head but not without some hesitation.

“Once we saw you were okay in the hospital he clammed up and condensed himself like so. Maybe it’s a low energy mode or something?” He scratched his chin in thought as he looked at the orb in question. 

“There’s so much I don't understand either. Talon is filled with the most unethical scientists ever if they figured out how to disrupt a person’s particle stability like that…” She sighed, gently running her fingers over the orb. “It feels like vapor similar to steam but cool to the touch.”

“Maybe you should try recalling him into the generator when you’re feeling better to see if that brings him back around.” He offered compassionately, trying to keep her from getting upset at their friend’s state of limbo. “Pretty sure Reyes hasn't spent all nine of his lives yet. A majority of them? Yes. But not all of them.”

\--

“Angela is pretty hot for a medic. I can see why the Captain is a reckless fucker if it means that angel gets to wrap up his wounds, huh?” One of the soldiers chuckled as he passed a cigarette to his buddy while they were on watch. 

“Captain Reyes? Really? Jack Morrison spends a lot of free time with her, right?”

“Seriously, you’ve never seen the way the Captain looks at her? He totally has the hots for her. Got to be the accent and her rack, Man.” He snickered as his friend lit his cigarette

“Eh. She’s your typical bimbo.” He said, unimpressed but unaware of his surroundings unlike his friend who immediately seized up when he saw death itself heading straight for them. “I bet she lays on her back and fakes it.”

“Oh? Are you talking about your mother, Soldier? Because that would be a real fucking shame if I sent her son home in a shoe box because he didn't want to do his fucking job and stand watch!” Reyes grabbed the soldier by the collar and shoved him backwards into the snow. “Or do you think the omnics will be nice and sound the trumpets when they come running through here to slaughter us all, you fuckwit?!”

“S-Sir, no sir!!” He stuttered,stumbling as he tried to get back on his feet.

Angela watched from a distance with a smirk on her face as she watched Reyes chew out the soldier for stepping out of line and was surprised to see him walk back over to her. “Good evening, Gabriel.” She greeted him pleasantly, receiving a curt nod in response as they naturally started walking beside each other towards the medical tents.

“I can't apologize enough for their behavior, Angela.” He started, “I’ll have to discipline them more often if they think that it’s fine to slander their medical staff, of all people.”

“Thank you for that, Gabriel.” She smiled happily. “How did you last mission go?”

“You mean cause I didn't end up in the tent this time, huh?” He smirked knowingly at her, receiving the same in response from the woman herself.

“You joke but I know you, Gabriel Reyes. It’s always ‘the mission required the risks’ or ‘there was no other way out’!” She mocked, earning a genuine laugh from the man beside her. “You might as well be a cat from how many times I’ve pulled you back from the grave. What number life are we at right now?”

“Ha! You stand next to the Grim Reaper, himself, Ms. Ziegler! Death comes for you!” He cackled, childishly holding his hands out at her at her as he pretend to scratch at her. “There is nowhere to run!” He lunged at her as she shrieked in laughter, easily getting caught in his arms and swirled around with his strength when he lifted her up. The cold air was filled with their laughter and joy, attracting a third party to the festivity as a snowball hit Ziegler in the face. 

“Oh. Shit.” Jack swore as he dropped the next snow ball he was preparing to throw at Reyes. “Angie! You okay…?” He asked sheepishly as he slowly started backing up.

“Put me down, Gabriel.” She wiped the snow from her brow as the man quickly complied with her request. “Jack Morrison! You are a dead man!” Angela roared, quickly packing a snowball together and throwing it hard enough to knock Jack on his ass from the impact to his face. Reyes fell to his knees from how hard he was laughing as ‘Angel’ Ziegler was charging towards the downed Jack Morrison and was tackled as he tried to scramble away. “REYES! DON’T STAND THERE! HELP ME RUIN HIS PERFECT HAIR!”

“Yes, Ma’am!” He mock saluted before running to catch up with Angela and Jack as continued throwing snow at each other. Jack's hair did indeed fall victim to the ‘snow crisis’ but it was a memory the trio would always look back at fondly, even long after Overwatch fell and they parted on terrible terms. Angela never forgot the exhilaration of Reyes spinning her around and how badly she wanted to kiss him after that. Maybe somewhere in his heart Reyes felt the same way about the memory as well.


	3. The Proposal

“Hey. Gabriel? You there?” Angela asked as the machine on her chest did its job of absorbing Reyes’ red and black ‘marble’, feeling the coolness of his soul enter into her mind. 

“Yeah… I’m really sorry for saying that shit, Angela…” The wraith spoke as it flowed out from her body and materialized as the Reyes they all knew. He froze up as Angela quickly went to work and inspected him from top to bottom, touching and prodding until he was satisfied. “My butt’s fine, Mi Luz, you can stop touching it now, if you want.” He teased as Angela literally only touched it for a millisecond to get her to blush.

“So much for being ‘sorry’.” She grumbled before standing up straight and brushing off her skirt. “First things first: solidify your neck and shoulders!” 

Gabriel looked over at Jack curiously, watching as the blind man shrugged his shoulders before doing as he was told. “Alright. Done. Looks like I can still do that just fi-!”

Angela wrapped her arms around his neck and embraced him tightly, throwing off the wraith for a moment. His heart swelled with affection but he immediately regretted his outfit choice, quickly swapping out his ‘grim’ attire for pants and a nice shirt. It was tough but he managed to solidify his hands so he could at least try to return the hug to her, sighing happily as she rest her head against his shoulder. “Mi Amor…*

“Next test; swing me around like your shotguns.” She interrupted.

“Por que?!” 

“Not literally, Gabe.” She sighed as Jack buried his face in his palm from how clever she was. “I mean swing me around a little. Just enough to get my feet off the ground.”

“So specific. I’m not sure I even want to take part in this anymore.” He smirked, moving his hand down to her waist and lifting her feet off the ground with little effort. Gabriel did do a quick perimeter check to make sure there wasn't anything he could accidentally swing her feet into before starting off slow as he twirled them both around. Angela nestled her head more into the crook of his neck and he found himself smiling uncontrollably. It was when Morrison turned on some Latin guitar music that Reyes paused in his spin, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the grey-haired bastard sitting back on the couch.

“Gabe…” Her quiet plea for him to continue won him over almost immediately as he resumed their slow spin around the common room. 

“Mi Amor, I think you are just to lazy to dance.” Gabriel jested, earning a small chuckle from Angela.

“I enjoy flying. You put the wind under my wings.” 

“Flying like a helicopter? You’re a strange woman to please.” He chuckled, earning a hearty laugh from Angela.

“I was trying to be romantic, you dolt.” Angela snickered happily as she playfully swatted the back of his neck.

“You cannot romance Death, Mi Amor.”

“But then why can people dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?”

“Touché” He conceded as the song wound down and he gently set her feet back on the ground. 

“Reyes, would it be alright if I give her a whirl for the next song?” Jack asked casually as he got up from the couch and approached the two of them. Reyes looked at Morrison with disgust as he hugged Angela close to him and turning his back on Jack.

“You’ll make her puke from how clumsy your spins will be, Morrison. Find your own niche to fill.” 

Angela chuckled at Reyes’ joke and gracefully slipped out of Gabe’s arms before giving her former partner a curtsy. “Save a dance for me, handsome?”

A smile lifted the corner of his lips as he let out a small chuckle. “My arms will need time to recover from how heavy you were, Mi Amor. I should think about lifting weights once again, eh?” The deep scowl he got in response from Angela made it all worth it before she snapped her head back to Jack.

“Play the damn music, Reyes.”

He chuckled while he walked over to the couch and tapped on the play button. Reyes rolled his eyes as he plopped down and heard a cheesy old rock song play through the speakers in the room. “Seriously, Morrison?”

Jack and Angela cackled loudly as they danced together, just swinging their arms and moving their feet with no real finesse or technique. Reyes brought his palm to his face as the two were clearly doing it for the fun of it but still making the wraith cringe over how ‘white’ they were dancing. “Is it possible to be embarrassed for two people because I have a feeling I may be experiencing it.”

“Twirling Angela around like a ballerina wasn’t exactly dancing either, Reyes.” Jack shot back before taking Angela’s hand and twirling her into into his body before twirling her back out, making the blonde laugh out loud at the fun she was having. “This old dog has a few dance moves that can put the smile on a lady’s face.”

“Ow! When you aren’t stepping on said lady’s toes, that is!” Angela interjected with a sarcastic huff, causing the wraith to howl in laughter from the couch. Jack’s face was bright red from the embarrassment and he mumbled an apology to Angela as he dialed back on how far he put out his feet while they danced together. “Oh, Jack Morrison…” She placed a hand on his cheek to get him to look up at her rather than squinting hard to see his feet. 

“Glad that I suggested that you wear shoes and I don’t?” He asked with a smile on his face as she closed the gap between them, draping her arms over his shoulders. Angela chuckled in agreement as they rocked back and forth together like an old couple as the music slowly transitioned into a slow ballad. She looked up to see Gabriel's finger lift off the table playlist and him giving her a nod in approval. “Why did the song suddenly skip?” Jack asked curiously before Angela quickly cut in.

“Technology today is very advanced. Don't you think the sensors can't read mood?” She chuckled, not wanting Jack to investigate further due to risk of a conflict breaking out from Reyes unknowingly returning the favor to him. Morrison was still clueless to what was going on but merely hummed as Angela rested her head on his shoulder, wrapping his arms loosely around her waist as they continued to slow dance.

Her eyes would shift to the wraith on the couch from time to time as they gently twirled, and she could slowly see Gabriel regret his choice the longer the dance went on, forcing himself to stare down at the table than watch them. “Well, Jack, that was wonderful. Thank you for the dance.” Angela spoke happily as she moved out of Morrison’s arms and gave him a polite curtsy, receiving a polite bow in return.

“Can’t say I ever get the luxury of dancing these days. The pleasure is all mine, Angela.”

Reyes looked the pair in confusion as Angela walked over to him and took a seat beside him on the couch. “The song isn't over yet.” 

“A small break from spinning would be nice.” She spoke up with a reassuring smile, leaning back into the couch to get comfortable as Jack went to get drinks from the refrigerator. “Besides, I wanted to talk about us.”

“‘Us’... I assume you mean Morrison in that as well, Mi Luz?” He asked, trying to keep calm as he brought up Jack’s role in the equation.

“Yes. Jack and I really think that we can pull this off Gabriel. The three of us can.” She explained. “We can talk about our comfort zones in regards to one and another, voice our hesitations so we know what boundaries should never be crossed.”

“Like what? Can you give me some examples of how this ‘threesome’ idea you have is not just open cheating?” Reyes growled, looking right at Jack as he took a seat beside Angela and handed her a beer bottle after opening it for her.

“Simple. If you don't want me to kiss Angela on the lips then I won’t ever do so, even when making love to her.” Jack responded simply, opening his bottle and taking a swing of it as he relaxed on the couch. “Though I do hope that you’ll allow me to at least kiss here anywhere but there.”

Reyes was fuming at the thought of the two of them having sex and immediately stood up from his seat. “I don't want you two to have sex period! No fondling either!” His fists were balled tightly as he used all of his restraint to not materialize his hand and punch out the bastard’s teeth.

“Alright then. Angela and I won't make sexual overtures to each other unless you change your mind, Reyes. Angie?” 

Angela nodded her head in agreement, keeping any hesitation she had under a tight lid as she confirmed Jack’s sentiment. “I’m fine with keeping things conservative with Jack unless you decide sometime down the road that you are comfortable with it. My only request is that I be able to kiss his cheek, forehead, and tend to him as a doctor should he get wounded. That means being allowed to remove his clothing only in the case of a medical emergency. Would that be fine?”

Reyes nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. “I will be comfortable with you embracing him and dancing with him too as long as it’s… reasonable. No dirty dancing or such.” 

Angela snorted at the thought, earning a glare from Reyes. “I’m so sorry, Gabe. I just… Jack can barely dance as it is and for him to think himself smooth enough for that kind of dancing?” Reyes took her comment into consideration before nodding his head in agreement.

“Right, but we are drawing the boundaries, yes? I’d rather Morrison not get any funny ideas when he eventually decides to update his dance routine from the barn he was born in.”

Angela laughed hard at that jab, receiving a slight elbow to her side from Morrison as the man looked away in embarrassment. “Anyways, I have a few questions then. Can I take Angie out for a solo date sometime and it not be a bother? Especially if we let you know before hand?”

“That’s reasonable.” Reyes remarked, feeling a bit more comfortable in the conversation since Angela laughed at his joke. “What about you, Morrison?”

“Me? So long as she consents to it, I’m fine with whatever you two chose to do.” He replied simply, taking a long drink from his beer as Gabriel chuckled.

“Seriously Morrison? You wouldn't object to us making love in the shower early in the morning or even us going right to her room right now for some action?” He mocked Jack as Angela squirmed in her seat with her face as red as a beet.

“G-Gabriel!”

“I’ll even throw in dates so long as you give me the general information of where you’ll be in case an emergency happens. So laugh all you want, Reyes, but I’m tearing that fucking machine off her chest the moment you go too far and hurt Angela.”   
Angela felt a chill run down her spine at Jack’s sudden shift from casual conversation to a genuine death threat, especially when backed up by that glare of his. Reyes rolled his eyes before looking away from Morrison.

“I’m fine with anything that favors me this heavily, Jack Morrison. Don't go crying to Angela when she suddenly wants nothing to do with your arthritic body you geezer.” He chuckled nonchalantly as he shrugged his shoulders. Jack shook his head at the brush off but said nothing else as he went back to his beer; Angela sighed in relief that nothing became of the threat. “What about you, Angela? You have as much say in this as we do.” Reyes brought up, throwing the blonde off for a second as she scrambled for ground rules to lay down.

“Well, the ‘no fighting’ rule still applies, regardless of our status. If there needs to be amendments to the ‘boundaries’ rules we are establishing right now then we must all be together in this room and in a sound mind before we begin the discussion. We can add or subtract rules if all parties agree to it, especially the one who suggested it in the first place.” Angela spoke, making sure to look at Gabriel to reassure him of her choice in this matter. “I, personally, would… like to be able to have you both at one time or another but I sincerely want everyone comfortable before we take any huge steps like that.”

“This been a fantasy of yours for a while, Angie?” Jack asked curiously as he looked in her direction. “Having both of us on you and loving you rotten?” Even Reyes chuckled at the idea of a literal threesome rather than objecting to it outright. “

“I apologize for bringing it up.” She buried her face into her hands to hide the embarrassment she felt, but was quickly reassured by firm squeezes on her shoulders by Jack and Gabriel's cool hands pulling her hands away from her face.

“Morrison. Mind if I borrow Angela for a half an hour or so?” Reyes asked the blind soldier, watching as the man got off the couch with a knowing grin on his face and made his way over to his own room.

“You two have fun. I’ll be catching up on my sleep since I have an assignment tonight.” He waved the two of them off as he closed the door behind himself and turned on the TV, leaving Gabe and Angela alone in the common room.


	4. Nothing Has To Happen (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I merged chapter 4 and 5 together since It has been a while since I've updated the fic.

Angela looked up at Gabriel nervously as he turned to look down at her with a reassuring smile. They were all alone in the common room and Jack had clearly gave Gabriel his blessings on whatever happened just now. “Um… Mind bringing me up to speed on what just happened, Gabriel?” She could just imagine how ridiculous she looked to Reyes and wondered how events turned this steamy so suddenly.

“Nothing will happen unless you want something to happen, Mi Amor.” He answered simply, tucking his hands into his pockets as he stood relaxed for her. “I just… I honestly never thought that you would want a man like me. Especially a man like me now.”

“Right. Maybe I just can't get over the man you used to be and that I’m naive for hoping you will be with us from now on, even if it is difficult to take our words as fact.” She explained as she rest her hands on her lap. “You were a difficult but very kind person and I still see that in you Gabriel.”

He ran a hand through his curly locks and avoided eye contact; the silence allowed her to think carefully about what she wanted to say to him. “I wanted to say something for so long… That I wanted you back then too.” Gabriel quietly confessed to her. “But I was a reckless bastard and I knew that could bite me in the ass hard one day if a mission really went south. Also, Morrison… I knew he had a fancy to you as well and I’m really sorry for calling you a whore.”

She looked up at him but he was staring down at his feet, chastising himself harshly for a lot of things judging by how deep his scowl was. Angela got up from the couch and gently brought her hand up to cup his chin, surprised when her hand went right through his form before he finally looked up. “Oh. Sorry.” Gabriel murmured, solidifying his face so she could touch him. She smiled at him warmly and cupped both of his cheeks in her hands before leaning in to kiss him.

Reyes was surprised at her initiative, not expecting a kiss so soon much less one initiated by Angela herself. It made him just more aware of how clever she could be and how difficult it might actually be to please her with such limited ability to materialize himself. How was he even going to begin with pleasing her when he was cold to the touch and could maybe materialize three parts of him at best? Her hands then moved down and she reassured him with the simplest of words. “Could I hold your hand?”

He quirked a brow at her before allowing the vapor to condense in his hand and offered it to her. Angela chuckled and took his hand, leading him to her room and locking the door behind them. Reyes almost felt nervous considering how long he dreamt of this moment for nearly two decades now. Hell, even he considered his chances for ever finding love to be zero since he was revived as ‘Reaper’ by Talon but maybe,for just once in his life, he could have someone for his own, even if he did have to share her. “Lost in thought?” Angela playfully teased before turning to see the mess that was her room.

“I think we might be getting lost in something but it’s definitely not your eyes right now.” He smirked, receiving a swat on his hand in exchange as she turned around to start picking things off the floor. Gabriel moved to help her out as well, balling up her dirty clothes before tossing it into the laundry basket like a basketball. “Not that this isn’t romantic or anything but this isn’t the first time I’ve fixed up your room, Angel.”

Angela groaned as she worked on fixing up the bedsheets, not appreciating Reye’s brand of humor at the moment considering she was trying and failed to seduce him. The arms that wrapped around her waist from behind said otherwise as a cool kiss was placed against her neck. “You’ve been marked for death, Angela Ziegler. There’s no escaping me now.” He growled playfully, keeping his internal struggle to maintain the materialization of his whole chest and arms to himself.  
“Oh no. The Reaper himself has me in his grasp! What am I to do?” She shrieked happily, as he continued to pepper her neck with kisses. “Wait, is that a chest I’m feeling?” Angela asked curiously as she reached behind herself to touch a lovely shirt and the abs beneath them. “I think it might be…” She purred sensually as she ran her hand over his shirt.

“I’m very good at surprises, Mi Luz.” He grinned smugly, gently pushing her towards the bed until she was right before it. “Oh. On second thought, oral might not be comfortable… Along with everything else.” Gabriel backed off her for a moment as he rubbed the back of his neck in thought.

“Oh... Well, there’s nothing warm lubricant can’t handle.” She chuckled nervously, rubbing her arm as she looked up at Reyes. She rolled over and reached out to pull out a small bottle from the drawer of her nightstand. “Here, take this bottle and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Could you do that for me?” 

“If it will make you more comfortable, I’ll gladly do it.” Gabriel smiled as he took the bottle from Angela and unlocked the door to step out. The door immediately was locked behind him right behind him.

“Give me five minutes on top of that, please.” She added with a suggestive giggle, making Reyes smile at her mischievous behavior. He leaned back against the door and flipped the bottle of lube in his hand.

“I could always go through the wall Angela, what incentive do I have to actually wait those five minutes out?” He asked curiously.

“I really DO think you’ll appreciate your reward if you listen to me for once, Gabriel Reyes.” She chuckled in response. “No peeking.”

“Fine, fine. Moving out.” 

\---

What to wear, what to wear?! Angela panicked as she threw open every single one of her drawers to find some outfit that was at least titillating. All of her lingerie was just nude colors with little to no design and she rarely ever went shopping for cute clothing. No stockings or thigh highs either! She groaned as she sat down on the edge of the bed and tried to think of something that would turn Gabriel Reyes on! 

Five minutes were up when she heard a knock on the door, signaling Gabe’s reappearance. She sighed in defeat and got up from the bed, opening up the door to see a rather pleased looking Reyes. “Uh. I thought I had something nice to change into but it backfired.” Angela looked down at her feet, unable to watch disappointment turn that smile into a frown on his face.

“Did a tornado rip through your room while I was gone?” He asked playfully as he peeked into the room. She sighed and fully opened the door to let the wraith in and locked the door once more as she watched him place the bottle on the nightstand. “To be honest, I thought you needed the five minutes to collect yourself more so than change into something sexy, Mi Amor.”

“I wanted to arouse you but maybe I should have went shopping before we pieced you back together.” She chuckled bashfully as he approached her and cupped the side of her cheek with his hand.

“Dead men don't get aroused, Angela Ziegler. But making you happy is more than enough to get me interested in experimenting.” He grinned, leaning down to kiss her one more time before taking her hand and guiding her to the bed.

“Really? I’ve seen you stare at me multiple times when I was in and out of the shower, Mr. Grim.” She snickered, lifting up the covers to slip under them and watched as the man reappeared right above her. “You are a breast man, yes?”

“In my past life, I was, Mi Aire. But I’m more of an Angela-sexual now that I think about it.” He chuckled before leaning down to kiss her lips, bringing his hands up to run through her hair since he literally didn't need to support his weight as a wraith. “Mmm…”

“Gabriel…” Angela sighed happily as he kissed her, enjoying the feeling of his cool hands in her hair and his lips on her own. Arching up against him reflexively made her frown internally from the lack of bodily contact she was used to. “Chest and hips please?” She whispered up to him and watched as he took a moment before vaporizing his hands and face to fulfill her request.

“Will this work?” He asked her curiously, looking very conflicted on his limits as she looked up at him in disappointment. Angela hummed in deep thought as she thought about creative ways to get intimate with him that would satisfy her. She had to think beyond human and more creative before she raised her finger with a vocal ‘aha!’.

“Remember that movie we watched a week ago? The sci-fi film with the aliens that had octopus appendages?” She asked cheerfully, making Reyes more concerned for her by the minute as he pushed the covers behind him and sat back on the bed.

“Angela Ziegler, is your head on right? 'Cause I don't see how squid monsters from space are remotely sexy.”

Angela laughed as she shook her head from side to side before sitting up next to him. “No, no! I mean you should deform yourself and pleasure me with tendrils. That’s not a complex thing to materialize and manipulate, right?”

Reyes sighed as he brought both of his hands to his face and groaned. “How is it -me- making love to you then if I don't look like me at all?” He asked with as much patience as he could muster for Angela. “It would be a black cloud fucking you with weird tentacles, not Gabriel Reyes, Mi Amor.”

Angela frowned at his protest to her idea but understood that it must have been harder on him than she thought when she asked for him to be with her. “But it is still you, Gabe. Even when you were a tiny ball in my hand for two days, you were still you to me… I’m sorry for bringing it up, it was a silly idea to begin with.” 

He rubbed the back of his head as he looked away in thought for a moment before turning to face her again. “I need to… think about our alternatives before we try again, Mi Amor.” Reyes reassured her hesitantly before leaning in to gently press his lips against her for a long moment. “I’m not saying ‘no’. Is that alright?”

“Always, Gabriel. I doubt I will cease wanting you because we have to go over the fine details once again.” She chuckled before pick up the lubricant and placing it back into her bedside medical kit. “Let me know when you have a plan, alright?”

“You’ll be the first to know.” He smiled before leaving the room.

\--

Any hesitation Gabriel had towards creative materialization went out the window when Angela stepped into the shower a few days after their conversation. A soft hiss behind her, announcing the wraith’s appearance, as she felt a cool set of hands wrap around her waist. Angela hummed happily as the warm water ran over her body, offsetting his cool touch and reached for the pressure dial to lower it. “Mmm… I’m guessing we’ll be in here for a while, Gabriel?”

“Not long enough to keep the clinic from opening, of course.” He purred mischievously before reaching for the shampoo dispenser and tapping it to fill his palm with the gel. “Consider this just an experiment up to see what I’m comfortable with.” She nodded her head and backed away from the shower head as he lathered up both of his hands. Angela sighed blissfully as he began working the shampoo into her hair with his hands, massaging her scalp gently, and moving her head with his hand movements. “You enjoy this, Mi Amor?”

“Mmm…” She leaned back against his cool chest and let him work her hair into a lather before he guided her forward under the water. When was the last time she had someone massage her anyways? Maybe not since the Omnic crisis and with her job taking over her life plus her age, she was considered undateable or at least unapproachable. His hands rinsed the suds out of her hair before she felt herself being drawn away from the warmth of the water and back against a bare, cool chest. Gabriel repeated the same process with the conditioner and continued to massage her head as he worked the gel in. What she didn't expect was the chest fading on her and a thick black tendril wrapping around her waist to keep her from falling backwards. “... Oh?”

“W-what? This is what you fantasized about, right?” 

Angela took a peek over her shoulder to look at the slightly flustered wraith and gave him a reassuring smile before facing forward once more. “A bit thicker than I dreamed but you are keeping me from slipping, Gabriel.” She teased affectionately, bringing a hand down to trace the length of the tendril, feeling how smooth and skin-like the appendage was. “Though I think I would enjoy it wrapped around my breasts when you feel confident that I won’t slip.”

“Damn you, Angela Ziegler...” Gabriel growled in her ear as the tendril tightened slightly around her waist, drawing a soft moan from her lips. He guided her back under the water and made quick work of washing out the conditioner before turning her against the wall to kiss her passionately. There was one less hand working through her hair but she at least got his lips in exchange and something to lean back against without fear it might vanish. Angela ran her own fingers through his wet locks, genuinely surprised that he wanted the curls after decades of buzzing it short. 

“Commander…!” She gasped out as as the tendril loosened up around her waist to travel slowly up her stomach towards her breasts, growing painfully aware of how erect her nipples were in anticipation. 

“‘Commander’, hm?” He chuckled lowly as he leaned down to give her little teasing nips against her neck, making her bite her lower lip to suppress a moan. “Hadn't heard anyone reference that old title of mine for a good two decades, Mi Amor…” Angela rubbed her thighs together as his form shifted to that of his younger self during the first Omnic Crisis. Gods, she was throbbing so hard below and he hadn't even begun to really touch her the way she dreamed of. “Well, Medical Officer… Haven't you become a breath-takingly beautiful lady after all these years…?”

“Gabe… Please…!” She pleaded, gripping his wet locks as he slowly kissed his way down her neck with his cool lips, the hand in her hair vanishing as another tendril trailed down her side to wrap firmly around her upper thigh. Even in the nastiest dreams she had of him, never did she think that this would be their first sexual encounter. “Why are you being cruel to me…?” Angela whimpered shamelessly to him as he finally took a firm bite into the junction between her neck and shoulder. “Nnngh…!” It was the worst not being able to wrap her legs around his waist and tease him back, something that smug grin on his face clearly projected as she huffed at him.

“That’s ‘Commander’ to you, Medic.” He purred, the tendril around her waist lifting her up more as it made a figure eight around her breasts and squeezed them tightly while his cool mouth closed over her erect nipple , making her whimper loudly from the sensation she so badly desired. Gabriel rolled his tongue around the pink areola of her breast but intentionally avoided the hardened nipple to prolong her torment. 

“Commander, Please…! Please stop teasing me…! Play with my nipple p-properly…!” She pleaded to him, drawing a deep chuckle from the wraith as he happily complied with the straightforward request from Angela. Her nails dug into his scalp, drawing a groan from him that she felt through her nipple as he began to suck on it firmly, letting the tendril around her breasts push and pull them apart as the tip teased her other nipple. Months ago she would have thought him even cooperating with her would be impossible but now they were truly catching up on almost two decade’s worth of sexual frustration on each other. Gabriel released her breast with a satisfying pop before leaning back to see how exposed Angela looked for him, lifting her leg up to expose her wet labia. “You’re a saint to the people, Medical Officer. That’s what makes this even more erotic since no one else knows of your desires like I do at the moment. Not even Morrison.” 

“Commander…! Ahh…!” The tendril around her thigh snaked upwards and slid against her throbbing clit, making Angela roll her head back against the wall as she shuddered. “Please fuck me…!”

As much as Gabriel would have loved to stretch this out for much longer, he knew it wasn't long before the water warning drone would make a racket and annoy Morrison to the point where he would unintentionally interrupt them. He slimmed down the girth of the tendril as he slowly pressed it into her, bringing her down so he could muffle her moans with his lips. Jack would NOT get the pleasure of hearing her moans when he was the one pleasing her, that’s for damn sure. She was rather tight for the fit and slimmed it down a bit more since he didn't even give her the courtesy of his fingers before he fucked her. 

“Please…! Gabe…!” Angela pleaded helplessly as she tried to rock her hips against the tendril inside of her, drawing a growl from Reyes as he nipped her lower lip possessively. She was a mess for him and God he loved every minute she was whimpering his name. He picked up the pace inside of her, enjoying the sight of her hips rocking lewdly with each thrust of the tendril inside of her. 

“You going to come, Mi Amor?” He asked, watching her like the shameless man he knew he was, making her whimper even more as the tendrils around her breasts squeezed them together. “Lusting over your senior commander so brazenly like a bitch in heat… Imagine what I’m going to do with your ass the next time Morrison’s back is to us...”

She cried out Gabriel’s name as she came hard from the mental image alone.

\--

“You gonna be back for lunch today?” Jack yawned as he leaned against his doorframe, trying not to fall back asleep standing up. Angela sighed as she finished eating the breakfast burrito Reyes made for her earlier and looked at her watch to make sure she was still on schedule.

“I hope so. You never eat decently if Gabriel or I don’t come back to check up on you. Even worse, you skip a meal entirely.” Angela got up from her seat at the counter and tossed the foil wrap in the trash before walking back over to Jack. “Gabe left two wraps in the fridge if you get hungry, I already had one.”

“Heh, still making too much food for one person, is he? Seems to be a trend since last week. You two finally hit it off properly?” He asked with a smile, making Angela feel a lot less nervous about this conversation than she thought she would be.

“Yeah… I guess it was that easy to figure out?” She chuckled as played with her ponytail and combed her fingers through it idly. 

“May I?” He asked her, waiting for her permission before she simply walked into his arms and let him embrace her tightly. “I’m happy for the both of you, Angie. That explains why Reyes has been in a much more tolerant mode lately.”

Angela buried her face into his chest happily as Jack proved her right that he would never get angry or jealous if she opened up her feelings to Reyes. God it felt so good to have him there as her unmoving rock when Reyes was prone to lighting up like a firecracker at times. “I’m glad he’s being more pleasant around you as a result, Jack. Even if it’s in his own indirect way.”

“I’m pretty sure those are just peace offerings rather than him saying he’s ready to really move past what happened between us in Overwatch. He still mostly keeps to himself unless it’s a task he can’t do himself.” Jack yawned as he rubbed his tired eyes with his hand before placing it back on Angela’s lower back. 

“You’re talking about his ‘drone’ form, right? I bet he's never experienced freedom like that since Winston made a mess of him a year ago. Who would have thought he would actually make use of that old claw from the arcade downtown?” Angela smiled as she rest her head against Jack’s chest to listen to his heartbeat. 

“If Reyes has been anything his whole life, it’s being a resourceful bastard who can see merit in trash.” Jack grinned as Angela rolled her eyes at his subtle joke.

“Jesse wasn’t trash, Jack, you know that as well as I did.”

“Wonder how he would feel knowing that we all finally got our heads out of our asses and actually communicated.” Jack pondered as the cowboy-wannabe was likely out there in the world stirring up trouble for the past ten years. “Especially with Reyes opening up a bit.”

“Ha. Gabriel is likely to dismantle the particle generator with his own hands then let Jesse ever find out that he was ‘wrong’ about how to handle relationships.” Angela deadpanned as Jack almost keeled over from laughing so hard. Though they joked about Gabriel's cold stance on relationships and keeping everyone at arm’s length, it really was the reason why Jack was ultimately picked for Overwatch Commander over him, even if he was more qualified. The two quickly sobered up from the realization that they shouldn't be laughing at an issue Gabriel had yet to really get over. 

“Still. He’s making progress and actually trying to be a decent person, Jack. I’m glad that you support me even when Gabe has his fits.” Angela sighed as she looked down at her watch and saw it was time for her to leave for work. “Alright. Make sure you eat something before going back to sleep since you worked through dinner again.”  
“Will do, Angie. Is the burrito spicy this morning?” He asked curiously as he release her from his arms, watching her head to the door to put her shoes on. She looked back at him for a moment with a small grin after opening up the door.

“It’s not too bad today. You should at least try it, Jack.”

Jack rubbed the back of his neck for a moment in consideration before moving from his doorway and standing next to her by the front door. He leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead before waving her off. “Take care, Angela.”

“Will do.” She smiled back happily before leaving the townhome and locking the door up behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm kind of curious as to what Reaper and Sombra's relationship will be like in the Blizzard canon, since she should be coming out soon (around the time of this chapter's posting). No promises she will show up in some form or another.
> 
> Also, please consider leaving a comment or a plot bunny you have. Kudos are nice but I want to know what you guys are thinking on the OT3.
> 
> Status on next chapter: Busy rewriting things but It's my favorite chapter up next!! OT3 goes on their next date to a familiar place~ (at least to us)


	5. Worms

If there was one fool hardy thing left from the past, it would have to be how Reyes applied the logic of ‘complete the mission at all costs’. It carried him well through his years in the military, Overwatch and as a mercenary but not as a person. A person with relationships to maintain and an emotional instability not helped by his shifting form.

Loving Angela in the shower, like a bunch of untamed snakes left him disgusted with himself after he left her be. Maybe worms would have been a better description because he felt like the shit eaters themselves. The fact that she absolutely enjoyed it made him more conflicted about his progress in solidifying himself even worse. 

Before, he only needed to solidify his hands to hold his shotguns for the kill, everything else was just a highly detailed illusion to make himself seem whole to his targets. To see the despair on their face when death came for them.

But the year he spent with Angela (and Jack) made him rethink how the whole process and how much he wanted to physically connect with her. To go back to how it once was. 

He could solidify three major bodyparts now. Full arms instead of just hands. His head and a full head of detailed hair. Touchable clothing with texture and weight to them. Something unmistakably human and yet she was fine with the worms crawling over her body, twisting on and inside of her.

Was that what she wanted in a lover? All sex and no love? Just be masturbaited and laid down for bed? If he could vomit from all the self-loathing he felt he would have done it, but alas he was just a formless black cloud now.

He stayed in the living area, not wanting to do much of anything except cling to the ceiling like the miserable shit stain he felt like. 

Jack eventually came out of his room, sometime later in the morning, but without his visor as he looked up at the large black covering the majority of the ceiling. He squinted hard at it before sniffing the air curiously, making Gabe grumbled at the absurdity of the situation. “It’s me up here, Jack. Nothing is burning.”

“Oh.” He brought a hand to the back of his neck to scratch at it before smartly choosing to continue his usual routine to rummage through the refrigerator for supplies. “No breakfast for me today, Gabe?” Jack asked playfully, unintentionally grinding Gabe’s gears with how sour his mood was.

“Eat your fucking bran flakes. I'm not your butler, Jackass.” 

Instead of yelling back at him, like Gabriel expected him to, Jack softly chuckled at the response. “Yeah. You got a point that I shouldn't expect special treatment everyday.” Gabe stayed silent and watched as Jack opened cabinet after cabinet, searching for something before pulling out a frying pan. Gabe cringed at the idea of Jack cookings, especially after he nearly burned down the last apartment they stayed at before they got kicked out. Lots of personal issues combined with only one bedroom led to a lot of fighting between him and Jack before Angela moved them to their current home a few months ago. 

The black clouds drifted over to the ceiling space above the kitchen and Gabe felt torn between preventing another disaster and his pride. Jack clicked the stove top burner on and set the pan down, triggering Gabe to swoop down and quickly shut the flame off. “The fuck are you doing, Idiot?!” Jack looked at him in surprise, with his hand still on the refrigerator door.

“I’m making myself some grits?” 

Gabe was only a mixture of black smoke and some semblance of a human silhouette as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “You DON’T leave the pan sitting on an open flame! You’ll melt the stick-free cover off the pan!”

“Oh.” 

“Don’t you ‘oh’ me! You always have to have SOMETHING on the pan when heating it up!” Gabe explained. “What are you cooking? Scrambled eggs? I can't see you doing anything more advanced than that.” 

Jack opened the refrigerator door and took a peek inside, making Gabe sigh at the futility of the act. “Why aren't you wearing your visor?”

“Lay off, Gabe. I don't like wearing it if I don't have to.” Jack grumbled, reaching in to grab the carton of eggs, a bag of shredded cheddar cheese, milk, and a packet of diced ham. He set them down on the counter before closing the door. “I memorized the system Angela has for distributing the groceries.”

“You forgot the butter. I assume you’re making an omelette so you need to butter the pan first before you put in your mixture.” Gabe reminded him. 

Jack ducked back into the fridge and pulled out the tub before closing the door. “Anything else?” 

The question wasn't accusatory or anything, to Gabriel’s surprise, and he supposed the ingredients would do, if that was all Jack wanted. “Put a bit of butter on the pan and put it to low heat.” He added before converting fully back to a black cloud clinging to the ceiling above Jack. 

Jack paused for a moment, looking up at Gabe for a moment before went to work, cracking an egg on the side of a bowl and emptying the contents into it before tossing the shells into a bag for waste. Gabe rolled his eyes mentally as he watched Jack work hesitantly at the bowl. 

“Okay. Add a bit of mil- No No! That’s too much! Crack one more egg to fix that.” Jack followed Gabe’s instructions much more confidently and used the egg beater without instruction as he continued to watch him. Gabe felt like they were twenty years younger during the Omnic crisis when he was guiding Jack on what plants were safe for instruction and Jack’s inability to ask for help from others out of shyness. After they made Overwatch, Jack didn't have to make his meals anymore and it was clear that his lessons never really stuck with the man through the years. “How did your parents tolerate your inability to cook for yourself, Idiot? Maybe the Indiana farm boy was more sheltered than I thought.”

Jack chuckled bashfully at that, setting the bowl down and placing the egg beater into the sink. “Just because I lived on a farm doesn't mean I didn't grow up on TV dinners and microwaved egg sandwiches for breakfast. My dad was a truck driver and our farm was pretty small but my mom had to run it all by herself. They wanted me to focus on my studies so I mostly came home to an empty house.” 

“No wonder you were under weight when you joined up in the military.” Gabe commented. “You want your ham to be crispy, Jack. Pop half of that pack onto the pan with a generous amount of butter.” 

Jack nodded his head and used a spoon to put a wad of butter into the center of the pan before hesitating to use the heat switch. His hand gripped the turnable handle and Gabe sighed as he came down, black cloud wrapping around Jack’s hand to guide it. “First setting is to ignite the burner.” The stove made a rapid clicking noise before a small flame was lit and did not stop until Gabe turned it a bit to the right. “This is the lowest setting.” Gabe turned Jack’s hand slightly once more. “This is about… between low and medium heat. We’ll leave it here.” 

“Right. I remember you mentioning that a long ago.” Jack hummed as Gabe released his hand and picked up the pan by the handle to spread the butter across the surface as it melted. 

Gabe floated just slightly above him as a black cloud, no longer clinging to the ceiling in case he had to quickly salvage the food. “You? Remembering things?! That’s a new one.” He huffed sarcastically.

“You were always good at teaching people who were eager to learn, Gabe. You always had a knack for quickly finding out what worked and didn't for a person.” Jack admitted as he set the pan down and turned to get the packet of diced ham off the counter. He easily opened it and began to pour half of it in before setting the rest aside, picking up the spatula to spread the ham out evenly over the pan. “The way you straightened out McCree was nothing short of a miracle with how fucked he was when you brought him in.”

“I don't want to talk about that.” 

Jack looked up at him and shook his head. “I just wanna talk about Jesse, Gabe. Not Blackwatch.” He spoke calmly. “Do I flip the ham now or…?”

“There’s no harm in flipping it early.” Gabe answered, intentionally stay numb on any topic talking about Overwatch like he always did. It was easier to avoid fights and Angela’s cold shoulder when he eventually lost his cool that way. He instead moved to hover above the pan, observing the color of the meat when Jack flipped it. “Stir it a bit, try to get the outer meat into the center and the center pieces into the outer edge so it cooks evenly.”

“Gotcha.” Jack did as instructed, even if he had to squint uncomfortably hard to make it happen. “Anyways. I was always jealous of you and your relationship with Jesse. I always saw you two like a father and his rebellious teenaged son. They way he opened up to you and started to let others in as well… It made me wish for the same closeness with my father.”

Gabe stayed quiet, at first he was pissed that Jack brought McCree back up but it went in a direction even he couldn't have predicted and wasn't sure exactly HOW he felt about Jack’s envy. He was Blackwatch Commander and had to mold his less than perfect recruits into top class agents but apparently the Strike Commander didn't have to do such things, his teams were always primed and perfect. Maybe Jack didn't get to have the closeness of new recruits working out their issues with him on the scale Gabe had to do in order to make things functional and that was why he envied never having someone like Jesse by his side.

No way he would EVER fucking admit to being that cowboy’s father figure. No way in fucking hell would he present Jesse to someone else and say ‘this kid is like my own blood’. Didn't matter WHAT Gabe felt since Jesse ended up walking away anyways when he was at his lowest point.

The ham popped and sizzled on the pan as two ceased conversing for a little while. Jack flipped and rearranged the bits like Gabriel instructed earlier before he started talking again. “Never thought I’d see the day Angie would actually act on her feelings for you, Gabe. Kind of had the feeling she pinned for you and held a lot of regret in her heart over your death more so than mine.”

Gabriel huffed at that. “I thought you two would have gotten married and had kids by now if you hadn't sussed out on YOUR death, Morrison. You were there for her when I wasn’t. You should have poached her like every fucking else.”

“Shut the fuck up, Gabe!” He yelled suddenly, startling Gabriel from the outburst. “Me make a move on Angela? Are you fucking kidding me?! Not only was I dealing with Overwatch falling apart from behind the scenes, she was CLEARLY upset over your withdrawal from the BOTH of us.” He shut off the flame, feeling that the ham was good as it was going to get before glaring up at the blurry black cloud. “You were my best friend, Gabe! Shit was being done to make us tear each other apart but I NEVER would have taken advantaged of Angela like that, regardless of my feelings for her! Stop saying shit like that when we tell you over and over that we BOTH wanted you back instead of making up a drama that we went behind your back for some action!”

“Fuck you, Jack!” Gabe snarled, several red eyes glaring through the black thicket. “You don’t understand anything!”

Jack slammed his fist on the marble countertop, less out of rage and more so with frustration. “Then TALK to me, Gabe! I’m DONE fighting with you and just want to understand, you dense motherfucker!” 

Gabe didn't bother sticking around, he flew immediately through the door into Angela’s and took refuge behind the locked door. He didn't WANT to talk about it. Why was it so hard for him to understand?! They don't talk about anything meaningful and he doesn't have to feel like he was ever a piece of shit who got tricked into hurting everything and everyone he cared about. He just wanted to kill those responsible and make everything right like the way he always did everything. Kill the enemy and don't think about it afterwards. Kill. Kill. Kill.

\--

Angela came back for lunch, smelling the pleasant scent of eggs and ham in the air as she slipped her shoes off. “Something smells good!”

“There’s a plate for you in the fridge.” Jack commented as he relaxed on the couch, visor on, as he watched the news on the television. Angela happily skipped over to the refrigerator and pulled the delicious, if a little burnt, looking omelette out, using her foot to close the door. 

“Did Gabe make it?” She asked curiously as she placed it in the microwave and let the automated sensor adjust the time properly. 

“Nope. But he did help me out a bit.” 

Angela paused at that. “No. Way.”

“Don't get your hopes up. I pushed him too hard and now he’s sulking in your room. Just a friendly fyi.”

Angela frowned at that and leaned back again the counter, listening to the hum of the microwave for a few moments. “It’s still progress, Jack. Especially if he’s willing to actually help you.”

Jack huffed at that and propped his feet up on the coffee table. “Hardly. The minute Gabe gives me an inch, I end up pushing him a mile. A lot fucking good I do on my part to help him.”

“You’re eager to have your best friend back, Jack. You shouldn't blame yourself for trying and learning from the experience.” She reassured him.

Jack was anything but reassured as he sighed, letting his arms go slack by his sides. “Yeah, but I could do something stupid and… He could literally vanish and we would have no way of knowing where he was just short of recalling him by force. God knows he would NEVER forgive me if I made you do it, Angie.”

Angela looked at the tired old man on the couch and watched him lay his head back. Jack had hard days too, they all did, but she knew the weight was heavier on his shoulders due to the role he unintentionally played in his best friend’s fall. She walked through the kitchen and past the table to stand behind him, his red visor obscuring any facial tell that he would have. Angela leaned down and draped her arms around his chest, nuzzling her chin in his white hair. “It’s okay to feel frustrated and sad, Jack.” She whispered to him. “I won't get mad or think any less of you for trying your best. Even if you think it’s not good enough and never will be.”

He didn't react for a while to her words or maybe he was still processing them, she would never know while he wore his visor, both a blessing and a curse. It wasn't until his hand came up and rested over her own that she knew he was still with her, leaning on her for support. Jack gently squeezed her hand and she felt her heart jump into her throat from the act.

“I don't deserve you. You or Gabe.” He spoke softly.

“I’m happy to have you here, Jack. I’m sure Gabe feels the same, even if he needs his space from time to time.” She felt his hand gently stroke her knuckles in slow circles and Angela smiled warmly. Jack was always soft-spoken and warm; small gestures were how you knew he cared and Angela treasured these interactions with him the most. “You still have that magnetic charm, even if you are a bit of a grouch now.”

He chuckled at that, and she leaned down to kiss his cheek affectionately. “I think your food’s ready, Angie.” Jack spoke up, releasing her hand to point to the beeping microwave. 

“Ah. Right. I’ll be right back.” She smiled, releasing Jack so she could scamper to kitchen, retrieve her warm food and a fork before joining him on the couch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dissociation hits Reyes pretty hard. :(

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! Thanks for checking out my Overwatch OT3 ficlet!
> 
> Here's a link to my FAQ for the series that explains some of the possible confusing things presented in this fic (like Reaper being a literal ghost) and why I characterized the cast the way that I did: http://ladycardboard.tumblr.com/post/146952896924/faq-on-who-says-we-cant-negotiate
> 
> Please leave your comments and thoughts on the chapter! Plot bunnies are always helpful as a writer!
> 
> my tumblr is mercy-for-old-soldiers


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